The trend of retro style is seeping into literally all spheres, and gambling is no exception. Take, for example, the famous slot machine that many remember from the real halls of the early 2000s, and now can be found in legal online casinos. It bears a recognizable name, emits cheerful colors, and attracts with simple yet engaging prize mechanics.
We are talking about “Fruit Cocktail” from Igrosoft — one of the first branded slot machines that appeared on electronic terminals long before the widespread popularity of online gambling. That very “arcade” style, where grapes, apples, watermelons, lemons, and strawberries spin on the screen, is now available online, while the spirit of the era has not disappeared.
The original slot machine dates back to the early 21st century and still has a considerable fan base today. The distinctive hand-drawn graphics, a five-reel layout (5×3), the ability to play on 9 lines, a card comparison risk round — all these are elements of the “old school,” familiar to many who once spun the reels in semi-legal establishments. The slot review will show what potential it demonstrates, whether it is worth expecting big prizes, and what is the charm of the seemingly outdated Fruit Cocktail at first glance.
Symbolism and Gameplay Features
In the classic version, the slot machine has five reels and nine adjustable lines, which can be reduced. Most players prefer to bet on all 9 lines at once to increase the chances of forming combinations. The icons fully correspond to the name: cherry, lemon, apple, peach, watermelon, grape — each image has its own value. The most “prestigious” is the strawberry (sometimes called “strawberry”), which is also the Bonus symbol that triggers a special bonus round.
In the normal mode, winnings are counted from left to right and from right to left: this is a “signature” feature of several Igrosoft projects. Therefore, 3–5 matching fruits touch the line without spaces, starting either from the first reel or the fifth. As a result, the probability of forming matches is slightly higher than in classic machines. However, the coefficients for combinations are quite modest, especially for the lower-value fruit icons. Frequent small prizes help maintain the balance but do not provide a significant increase.
Of particular interest is the “strawberry,” which, together with other elements, activates an additional session. Unlike the usual “free spins,” a unique bonus screen is launched here, where there is no need to spin the reels, and symbols appear in different positions.
Review of the Fruit Cocktail Slot (Igrosoft): Essence of the Bonus Session
This is where the highlight lies. The analysis emphasizes the unusual nature of this mechanism:
- The bonus is activated when at least three strawberries appear on any reels. These icons can be arranged from left to right or vice versa — the main thing is that they form 3+ matches related to the lines or act as “scatters” depending on the specific version.
- Transition to a new screen: a field of 34 cells around the perimeter and three in the center appears. On the periphery, like on a wheel, different fruits light up in turn, and the symbols themselves appear in the center. If the “picture” matches the sign on the large disc, the user receives a payout.
- Winnings can continue until one of the cells on the wheel shows the word “Exit.” When it appears, the bonus ends.
During the bonus round, the user does not make specific decisions — the process runs automatically. However, the spectacle itself evokes nostalgia for the mechanic where winnings accumulate step by step. Sometimes the bonus ends almost immediately, or conversely, there is a long “run” with a series of matches.
Frequency of Wins
The review of the Fruit Cocktail Slot does not overlook the high frequency of linear payouts. Approximately every other spin results in some kind of match, and sometimes several rows at once. However, the size of such prizes rarely exceeds x1–x2, as the lower-value fruits have small coefficients. It is quite difficult to encounter combinations of 5 identical elements (e.g., 5 apples), and even if such a combination appears, the winnings remain in the range of x9–x13 of the total bets.
As a result, before activating the bonus session, the balance may gradually decrease. If a lucky row of 5 does not appear, the decline can reach 40–50 credits for every 100 spins.
Facts and Statistics
During the 1000 spins conducted for the review of the Fruit Cocktail Slot, the following indicators were recorded:
- Overall combination frequency: about 50–55%. Almost every other round forms at least one paying chain.
- The maximum win on lines reached x13 (in terms of the total bet). x10–x12 were encountered several times. In most cases, winnings ranged from x0.5 to x2.
- The bonus was triggered about 14 times (approximately every 70–80 spins). Sometimes there was a more active appearance: 5 bonus rounds in 100 spins.
- The largest total from the bonus game was x36, while the smallest was x5. x15–x25 coincided several times. The typical range was around x10–x20.
The session ended at approximately -120 bets, which is not surprising considering the prolonged absence of “big” combinations. However, there were times when several bonuses in a row were caught in 10–15 minutes, leading to a result of +50–+80 to the starting balance.
Risk Game
Another feature of classic models: after each winning spin, you can press “Double” (or “Risk”) to enter a duel with a virtual dealer. The screen shows the dealer’s card, and the player needs to choose one of four face-down cards. If it is higher, the prize doubles; if lower, it is lost. An interesting aspect of Igrosoft is that if the dealer’s card is a two, the player can easily string together a series of doubles, but if it’s an ace, success is close to zero. Sometimes the dealer gets a joker, automatically making the player a loser.
Conclusion
As the review showed, despite its impressive age, the Fruit Cocktail slot remains a favorite among certain user categories. The main reasons are nostalgia, frequent small wins, and the unconventional bonus session “with strawberries,” where you can also reminisce about the spirit of the times when Igrosoft machines stood in land-based halls.
